Unchained. -SNOW BLUES MIX-
Mask of Ice The woman grunted, "Come on, hurry up." She seemed to grab Iris' arm and pull her along, beckoning the others to follow her lead. "...You all look like you need some rest. Note that I hate you- but I want you to all be in top shape." Iris, with that same puzzled face, questioned innocently, "Where are you taking us?" Though it was clear, despite her mask, she had forced a half-smile on her face, the woman snarked, "I'm going to throw you all into a fire. Duh; I'm taking you back to my place." "Hating us and yet treating us to such hospitable behaviour as taking us to your home is quite contradictory." Jason pointed it out, never missing a chance to pick out something wrong with the girl. "Why are you dragging Iris?" Yasaka asked, having finally woken up from her beating at the hands of the frost demon. The woman didn't even bother turning around to answer. "...Because she's fluffy." Such an awkward statement coming from such a stoic woman was rather unsettling. "I used to own a pet squirrel. She was my best friend. Then she died." Iris froze up. "...Wai-wai-wai-wai-wait! Why do I feel such an ominous chill rush up my spine!?" The woman continued to snark, "She died because I ate her." Iris's eyes began to water as she wailed, "Keep me away from herrrrrrrrrrrrrr...!" Jason lightly tugged Iris away from Momoko, eyeing her curiously as he stroked Iris' ears to calm down her panic. "You're lying." It wasn't a question, it wasn't a childish jibe, he was outright stating it because he knew she was. It didn't stop him from keeping Iris closer to himself than her. Even Wendy was looking at Momoko with strange eyes. Momoko grinned under her mask of ice and blatantly admitted, "Of course. Besides, squirrels taste terrible if I do say so myself." "Can't take any worse than a rat." Yasaka murmured. Momoko ignored this comment as they reached her house. It wasn't too fancy, nor was it run-down. Just...regular. Nothing of note. "...Well, here it is." She rolled her eyes underneath that mask and chuckled "...I'm living the dream." Iris didn't seem all too fussed about it. "Well, it's certainly...cozy." Momoko pointed to the hamster wheel in the corner. "There's your room." Jason punched her in the head, frowning. "You have terrible jokes." Momoko spat back as she took two steps back, "At least I don't go to town on children." Not missing a beat, Jason quipped. "Try it sometime, you'll like it." He looked outside. The sun was already setting. "It's getting late anyway. We'll be turning in now. Ulalia, I'm sure you'd be averse to sleeping directly next to me, so you'll have to think up some solution to that." Ulalia's eyes focused on Iris's....tail. "Oh, I think I have a plan." She latched onto it rather casually, prompting a soft moan to escape Iris's lips. "I'll sleep with Iris. You guys do whatever, I'm fine with anything now." Microcrack It was the middle of the night when Jason woke up. As was per the sleeping norm, the girls was sleeping all around him, Wendy always at his side. However, he was wide awake now, and quietly slide out of Wendy and Vivian's arms, moving quietly through the house. Since he was awake, taking in some fresh night air had it's appeal. As he walked outside however, he saw a feminine figure standing out in the moonlight, Quietly, his curiousity got the best of him and he moved in. He saw it was Momoko, standing outside with her mask off of her face. Taking in her face for the first time...she was actually quite beautiful, and he quietly appreciated her looks in the moonlight. Then he stepped on a crunching leaf... "Kyaaaaaaaaa!" Momoko squealed rather loudly as she turned around quickly, swiftly covering her face with her hands. "...Don't look at me anymore...!" She hissed at him, continuing, "....You know that now you've seen my face...there's only one thing that I can do..." she seemed rather downput by all of this. Jason seemed was confused as to why she would cover his face, but this confusion was all internal, his face displayed none of it. "And that would be?" He said it slowly. WHOOSH! A freezing gust of air blasted towards Jason. "...But if I manage to kill you, then everything will be called off!" She darted forward like a bullet, attempting to slam down on him with a spinning heel kick. Jason caught her leg, mildly surprised she would launch herself at him blindly, and then he caught on. "Oh, I see. The fact that I've viewed your face without the mask only further cements the marriage doesn't it." He spun her in the air like a top using her ankle to get the motion going, before throwing her by the arm so she slid out onto the snow. "Am I wrong?" Momoko managed to catch herself, if only barely. Prying her legs from the white, she stood to her feet, snapping, "...Exactly. I NEVER wanted this. I hate my clan so much...It feels like I'm locked in a room with nothing as comfort! Every day, the rules restrict me from doing damn near everything...! You can't possibly understand that!" "Then come with us." Jason replied simply. "Rebel. Marrying me isn't something you want, quite obviously. And I understand you well. The traditions you uphold, the mask you literally wear as per the norms of the clan, and the mask you figuratively wear as the granddaughter of the elder who must uphold the tribes traditions at all costs...break them both." He ripped his hand over his face, showing Momoko something that others couldn't see. "Masks don't make up the core of who we are." This voice was frightening, and something white shattered onto the ground, pieces of something, bone perhaps. Momoko immediately ceased her attack, skidding to a vicious grinding halt, still looking away as she resumed standing rather normally. "...You're right. But they say, without me, the tribe would be obliterated in an instant from outside forces. Everyone I love is here...What do I do?" Jason picked up a piece of the shattered material and tossed it to her, before turning to back into the house. "The choice is yours. You must go only where your heart leads." Momoko was utterly speechless by those words. "Where my heart leads, huh...?" She didn't do anything but stare into the grey skies, contemplating Jason's words; they clearly had a big impact upon her. Shatterpoint There was a different scene right about now. A rather full-bodied female figure walked out from the kitchen, into the living room. Several small children of orange and blonde hair trailed after her in a scattered fashion. Hearing the door bell ring, she opened it. "Oh, honey, you're home! How was work?" This person...well, it was Jason, wearing a business suit. "...Fine, I guess, Momoko." Momoko questioned. "Now, do you want me to cook your favourite meal, or do you want to spend time with the kids, or-" Jason put his hands on her shoulders, causing her face to redden. "What I want is you, darling." ---- "WHAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!" Momoko screamed like a banshee, realizing that it was all a dream. "...The hell was that...!?" Jason walked into her room, foregoing the etiquette that was knocking on a door, and he gave her an appraising look. "You're obviously not dead, and yet you decided it was the right idea to scream as if murder was being committed." This was similar to something he'd said to Vivian awhile back. "Should I be notified of something?" Momoko spat at him, "Learn how to knock, LaHote. What went on in my dreams was none of your business...and if it was you'd double-take at what happened." "I'm sure." Jason replied, turning around as he made to leave the room. "The fact of the matter is nothing happened. Either way, the elder sent a messenger up about 30 minutes ago requesting we come down to the main village." This was obviously her cue to get dressed. Momoko growled at this. "...Stupid woman. Always making me do stuff." Quickly, she reached over to her bedside table and grabbed her icy mask, securing it over her face. Once again, her emotions were frozen the moment that she wore that mask; she wrapped the sheet around her body and stood to her feet, quickly heading into her dressing room. About ten minutes had passed, and the main group was heading down to the main village. Iris was looking around, scatterbrained as always, while Vivian merely had her arms crossed. Momoko's steps seemed as icy as her element, but behind her cold mask, there was a sad woman contemplating her life's work. "...So, what did she call us down for, hmmmm~?" Iris questioned. "That's actually a fair question." Yasaka looked up from Wendy's shoulders. "I'm unsure." Jason replied. "She simply requested our presence in the village." Vivian muttered in a low tone; "That is...odd. Maybe we're in trouble-" Momoko cut her off. "I doubt it. You've all done what we wanted; and everything's going to plan in that old coot's eyes. This is probably something about the wedding." She clicked her tongue in exasperation. "I am going to have a word with her..." she cut herself off. "...Nah. It's best to just leave it..." "If you see that as best." Jason said pointedly, alluding to their previous nights conversation. "Maybe she decided to call it off?" Wendy couldn't keep from sounding hopeful. Vivian spat, "I hope to god that she did call it off. Last thing we need is more people like Gaiko-" She was cut off by Iris wrapping her tail around her mouth. Iris chimed, "Awww, don't be like this. You know what they say- the more, the merrier!" They reached the village and Jason noted the villagers were looking at the group oddly. "They're…staring…" Wendy edges close to Jason, which was understandable. Masked figures watching was creepy to an extreme. Jason assumed they were reacting differently due to the "marriage" situation. The question though was whether it was a positive or negative change. Momoko snarled in a low tone; from the looks of others, it appeared as if she were about to attack them. "You're all in the way. Stop staring and move." She spat in a tone which was cold as steel. Hurriedly, they all backed away. Momoko preferred not to think about the implications of her words; as she had much more important things on her mind. Iris inched back slightly, muttering, "You're so cool...but you can be scary sometimes..." Ulalia remained rather amused at the situation as she nudged Jason with her elbow, grinning. "...Soo, I can imagine that the honeymoon will be repressed memories for you, huh?" Jason gave a dry chuckle. "Talking about such things is just goading the girl, not me." Ulalia paused for the moment as she noticed Momoko about to swing her leg backwards, before she used Solid Script to deflect the blow. "...Ehehehehehehehe. Sorry. Just...that painted an amusing scene in my head." Momoko hissed, "Make another remark like that and I will shorten your lifespan." "Cease with threats toward my guild members." Jason sighed. It wasn't sharp like his normal reactions to the girl. She seemed to be growing on him. He was merely exasperated. Momoko just paused for a moment as she stopped in her tracks before continuing on without a care in the world, taking note of Jason's words. "I see." Iris attempted to grab Momoko's arm, who shook her off. "But why are you such, well...why do you act like that?" Momoko bluntly replied, "Because when I was 12, I was sold into slavery. Every day and night until I reached 15, I was ravaged incessantly by my captors until I managed to unlock my magical potential and kill them all until I returned to my tribe; it's only a precaution that I attempt to brush people off. I'm distrusting by nature, honestly." Iris seemed shaken by Momoko's words. "...I'm so sorry-" Momoko cackled. "Pahahahahahahahahaha! Joking. I just don't suffer fools gladly." Iris muttered, "O...kay..." The group finally managed to reach the elder's house. Without any hesitation, Momoko kicked the door down with a broad sweep of her leg, prompting an older voice to growl, "...Momoko. Every time you show up here you do that. Do you have something against opening doors properly or something of the sort?" Momoko ignored her rhetorical question and asked in return, "...What did you call us here for, anyway?" "That is a good question." Jason frowned. "You send messagers up to the house early in the morning, cynically requesting our presence here. What is it you needed?" The elder slammed her staff on the ground once more. "Since you are getting married to my granddaughter, it would be wise to fill you in on the history of our clan." Iris began to zone out at these words. "Wake me up when storytime is over...ow!" She was jabbed in the side by the elder's staff. "Well, centuries ago, admist the dragons fighting, there was a certain dragon who decided that there was no point in waging war on humankind- from there, it developed a unique spell, what we call "Compact Regression" to transform its draconic form into that of a human. Soon after, the dragon fell in love with a human, and together, the couple gave birth to a child...Over time, more dragons began to use Compact Regression and quickly, we formed a net link of beings who were half-dragons, keeping our blood pure. That is how the Dragon Clan came to be." Vivian smirked, "Dragon Clan, huh? That's pretty original." The elder growled, "I'd like to see you think of a better name on the spot and under pressure." "Ryūgami." Yasaka said, looking dead in the woman's eyes. "Ryūkōken." Wendy smiled brightly. Two better names off the bat. Jason looked like something was on his mind. "Alright...that would make you all Dragon Slayers." He looked over at Momoko. "That gives explanation to your power." He turned to the Elder. "Elder, I am curious about the traditions of this clan. For example..." He moved his hand to Momoko's face swiftly, removing her mask before the blonde could react. "What's so important about this?" The elder seemed rather outraged by this turn of events. "...My, you must realize by now that if a woman of the Dragon Tribe's mask is removed, than they have two choices- either kill the man who removed their mask or fall in love with them. It's been an ancient tradition rooted in our society- one that will be obeyed down to a T." Momoko punched Jason in the stomach and instantly took her mask back, securing it over her face once again. "...Dammit, I told you not to do that!" "But..." Wendy seemed confused. "You're making them get married...and no one can kill Jason, so why does she still need to wear it?" The elder began to explain. "Even after the mask has been removed and her face has been seen, until marriage, they are required to wear it as a sign of their dedication to the clan's roots. If she dares to remove the mask willingly, then she will be a traitor to our clan; and thus killed as a sign to the rest of those who dare to defy our customs." "Utter foolishness." Jason hissed. "It's barbaric!" Yasaka was aghast. The elder mused, "Rules are rules. She will be forced to obey them." Flames amassed on Vivian's palms, as for once, despite hating this woman, decided to stick up for the common good. "...Seriously? You gotta be kidding me. You're no different than some cult then-" "Just leave it be." Momoko firmly placed her hand on Vivian's wrist, gripping it tightly. "I'm willing to live with this. This is how I was raised." Jason eyed her in confusion, but didn't press the matter. If she was choosing to adhere to the customs, then on her head be it. In a few days, they'd be married anyway, and she could do as she pleased. Momoko was still taken aback by these customs; and judging by how she was perfectly still, she seemed to be still contemplating Jason's words- she was torn between upholding traditions and living life how she wanted to. Without another word, Momoko darted outside in a flash of light azure, leaving everyone baffled. Iris' ears perked up as she quickly began to run after her in concern. "Heeeeeeeeeeeeey! Come back!" "Come." Jason motioned to Wendy, Ulalia, and Vivian. "We're going to follow." And with that, he left, leaving them to follow as he ran after Momoko, following her at a safe pace to see where she was headed. Iris persisted with calling out, "Momokooooooooooooo! Oi, Momoko! Come back heeeeeeeeeeere!" Her voice reached the snow-covered trees, shaking fragments of white from the emerald leaves, leaving them to plumet to the ground. Vivian growled. "...Damn, she's like a ninja. She can't be that hard to find, honestly..." "I'm beginning to feel a bit bad for her..." Wendy murmured, looking downcast. "All of these traditions that I'm sure she doesn't want, being forced to marry someone she hasn't chosen, and her own grandmother doesn't really seem to show concern..." She seemed depressed by it all. Vivian remarked rather calmly, "So am I. First I thought she was a bitch...then I thought she was a scared little girl underneath it all. Now I realize, she's a bitch who's also a scared little girl. But in all seriousness, I swear that I am going to do everything in my power to help her through this." Iris nodded. "...Exactly! That's what friends are for~" Jason took the lead, running ahead of them as Momoko seemed to veer off near what looked like a lake. How it wasn;t frozen as these temperatures was beyond them, but he persisted in following until she stopped, and landed right next to her. He didn't speak yet, he wanted her to break the ice. Momoko was stuck, merely looking out at the azure skies. "...Oh." She noticed Jason from the corner of her eye, "LaHote, what are you doing here? I think my actions clearly told you not to follow me..." "Your actions gave no such implications." Jason replied bluntly. "Conversely, such actions would imply you need the company of someone interested in your plight as opposed to solititude to be left alone with you thoughts." Momoko snarked, "You'd think that running away after that old coot's words would imply that I am significantly distressed. Can't you tell by body language?" Iris muttered, "Or maybe you needed to pee reaaaaaaaaaaal bad." "B-but we can't leave you al-!" Wendy began to speak, but Jason cut her off. "Would you prefer we leave then?" He said, watching her carefully. His voice wasn't cold, nor was it kind however. He wanted Momoko to make her choices as she saw them, and was being as blunt as possible to influence her the least. Momoko immediately swirled around on the spot. "I'm...just not so sure as of the moment. Everything's happened so quickly that I'm not sure of anything. But to be certain, I have actually...kinda liked the company of you guys. It's been so much different than those elders with sticks up their asses as of late." "Then we'll stay!" Wendy said, insistently, before looking up at Jason. "Right?" "That would be the natural course of action." Jason replied, before turning to Momoko. "What do you intend to do? Hide here until you gather the courage to return home?" Momoko shook her head. "No. I'm going to return. And there, I am going to tell her exactly where she can stick her customs." "Excellent." Jason seemed pleased by this idea. "And we'll be there!" Wendy said encouragingly. Momoko, even so, refused to remove her mask and reveal her face to those present. It was just a habit of hers- though she was certain that once this whole fuss was over, she'd discard it permanently. "Wonderful. Now, let's head back, shall we?" ---- "We have returned." Jason said, walking into the residence of the Elder. "On business no less." The elder seemed nonplussed. "...I see. So, have you decided to follow these age-old customs and go ahead with the wedding?" Momoko didn't even pause as she had been doing normally, instead calmly asserting her own authority. "No. In fact, screw the whole damn wedding. I'm going to do what I want- and there's not a damn person in the world who can stop me." "....Except the entire clan trying to kill you..." Yasaka murmured under her breath. Jason hadn't forgotten such an occurrence could happen, and was already mentally preparing to slay the women if they opposed Momoko's ultimatum. Momoko flipped her hair back. "...I can deal with this." Her tone was not of arrogance, but one that definitely showed that she could take care of it. "Y'see, I ain't going through with any wedding. And I'm well aware that with you past your prime, there's not a thing you can do about it." The elder seemed to smirk. "...You thought that those stories I told you were just fabrications, hm? Remember the ability of the dragon from which we were hewn." Momoko went wide-eyed at this. "...You can't mean..." "That is correct. La Sirene's ability is that of a way to preserve youth indefinitely. As a normal person has about 100,000 heartbeats per day, it had about 100,000 heartbeats per year. Relatively speaking, 243 years is a mere 243 days for me. I was merely saving my power." Jason's eyes widened, actually surprised by this. "That would make you akin to a pureblood." He frowned. This woman would be powerful. If she chose to oppose him...he might even need to use that. "That mask is very convenient. It concealed the fact that you're still in your prime." He was watching the women carefully with careful eyes. "Do you intend to oppose Momoko?" The elder cast away her robes, revealing a figure similar to Momoko's...just with long, grey hair and blue eyes. Momoko managed to pick her jaw up from the floor as the elder responded to Jason's question, "Yes. In fact, yes, I do." Her tone was that of eerie calm. "Then I'll stand...and fight with her." Jason replied, summoning Gehaburn, and slashing the air, destroying the Elder's dwelling in a furious display of brute force. END